title: First impressions count: does FAIRness affect adaptation of clinical clerks in their first clinical placement?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  FAIRness (Feedback, Activity, Individualisation, Relevance) teaching is a structured program, comprising series of classes in which student work is anonymised and reviewed by the whole class, as well as students receiving private feedback on their written work. The class work emphasises logic, structure and order in history and examination, with a diagnostic and management focus.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The effect of FAIRness teaching methods on the adaptation of medical students entering their first clinical rotations was studied.
  
  
  METHODS
  18 students in FAIRness placements and 72 students in conventional placements, all in medical/surgical units in the same University teaching hospital were studied. They completed questionnaires relating to effectiveness and quality of clinical teaching. Some students additionally attended focus groups, at the start of placement to discuss their expectations, and after 3 weeks, to discuss their adaptation to the clinical learning environment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All students entering clinical placements had low expectations of their future teaching. Students in standard placements still expressed negative attitudes after 3 weeks, while students on FAIRness placements felt positive. Students in FAIRness placements scored significantly higher on questions related to feedback and review of student work.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  FAIRness teaching practices help students to adapt to their first clinical placements.
authors.affiliation: University of Sheffield, UK.
authors.forename: Ovie
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Edafe
authors.forename: Natasha
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mistry
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chan
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D002982:Clinical Clerkship; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate / Q000379:methods*; D004521:Educational Measurement; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D036301:Qualitative Research; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013663:Teaching / Q000592:standards*